


Written in the Stars

by Rawwwrchel22



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Fantasy, Gen, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:01:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22441498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rawwwrchel22/pseuds/Rawwwrchel22
Summary: "It is not in our stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves." Soren/OC. Slow Burn. Starts at the end of Season 1.
Relationships: Soren (The Dragon Prince)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. ⭐ Protostar (Prologue) ⭐

**The Dragon Prince is not mine.**

* * *

⭐ **Protostar** ⭐

" _Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion."_

\- Unknown

* * *

_Lightning licked the sky while thunder tremored the heavens. A torrential flow of rain tormented the earth below, covering the ground in a blanket of water. The winds howled as they raged and blew, not a care in the world for anything in their path._

_Three humans formed a half circle around an unknown object, and the rest of the circle was filled in by four elves. Whatever held their attention was filled with immense power and importance, but it was blurred and distorted from view._

_The expressions of those gathered were mixed as lightning continued to dance in the sky. The wind continued to blow harshly, its speed ramping up to hurricane force winds before it abruptly stopped altogether, the rain dissipating as well._

_A calm settled over the group as the eye of a storm loomed above them. Their attention was once more focused on the blurred object, and a brilliant light began to emanate from it._

_It continued glowing, blinding the humans and elves alike, until her vision was just a bright blast of white and nothing more. Just as the light began to burn her eyes, it disappeared, and only darkness remained._

_All she could gather from the vision was that something important was coming._

_And it was ready to change the world._

* * *

**MOON NEXUS**

"They're- they're getting out of _hand_ , Lujanne!"

A frustrated elf girl paced back and forth in front of the elder Moon Mage, hands shaking as she struggled to hold any semblance of composure. Lujanne eyed the girl with a saddened gaze, "We will figure this out, I _promise_."

"That's what you said when these visions _first_ started happening!" The elf cried out once more as she whirled around. Her hands waved wildly in the air, as if she was trying to shake her frustrations out of her body.

"You must calm down, my dear," Lujanne approached her slowly, and the girl peered up at her through solemn eyes, "You possess a unique ability most do not have experience with." The Moon Mage placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Sirini and I are doing what we can to learn more about your visions, but the lore is lacking."

The girl hung her head, "They're starting to hurt more." Her voice was quiet, meek even, and borderline defeated. Ever since the death of Avizandum a few months ago, she had been plagued by more and visions- each one more pressing and painful than the last.

And often times she couldn't do anything about the visions, even if she did share them with Lujanne and Sirini. None of them had a timestamp, and this left her guessing when- and if- her visions were going to happen.

The Moon Mage's heart panged at the sullen look her ward wore, "We're doing all we can."

The girl shook her head and pulled back. Words were muttered under her breath, but they were missed by the older elf. She crossed her arms over her chest in an almost protective manner and, without another word, she exited the sanctuary and made a beeline down the mountain.

Lujanne watched her go, heart heavy and mind unsure.

She wished she had more answers for the young elf, but it seemed the world was gearing up for a big change, and her ward was destined to watch it from afar.

* * *

**A/N: Guess who's fandom hopping into The Dragon Prince? lmao**

**Kind of excited to work on this tbh because it's something new for me! I've been writing/drawing for the Young Justice fandom for ages so it's nice to jump into a different fandom for a bit~!**

**Hope you guys like this! I'm taking some creative liberties with some things that will be revealed in future chapters!**

_**This is also going to be a slight Soren/OC story because I love him so much but it's going to be v slow burn and most likely won't officially happen until we get a new season after s3~** _

**Let me know what ya'll think!**

**Also yes, Sirini is another OC belonging to a friend of mine!**

**-SnowWolf22**


	2. ⭐ The Dagger and the Wolf ⭐

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A vision begins to unfold.

**The Dragon Prince is not mine.**

* * *

⭐ **T** **he Dagger and the Wolf** ⭐

_"It's always the small pieces that make the big picture."_

\- Unknown

* * *

**KATOLIS**

Allania trudged down the Cursed Caldera, tugging her satchel strap closer to her chest as she tucked a stray strand of black hair behind her ear. Her mind was shaky at best, and a dull ache had settled at the back of her skull. The girl sucked in a deep breath, hoping the fresh morning air would relieve some of the pain in her mind.

The horse beside her whinnied nervously and pulled away as a coarse breeze blew by. Allania reached up and gave her a soft scratch behind her ear, cooing softly in hopes to calm the gentle giant. Her actions seemed to work, and the scared horse settled as they moved forward.

Another cool breeze ruffled her hair, and Allania felt a soft shiver run up her spine. She fluffed her hood up, pulling her cape closer around her body and reveling in the newfound heat- even if it was only a little bit. She kicked at the snow as she further trekked down the path, the town at the base of the Cursed Caldera coming into view.

Familiar barks and yips echoed up the mountainside, and the mare beside her began to fidget anxiously. Allania stroked the equine's muzzle, cooing to her softly in an effort to get her to calm down once more. The commotion continued to grow louder before the culprits were revealed. The girl smiled as Ava- followed closely by her trusty human companion, Ellis- rounded the bend, the two covered in snow.

Though Allania may have been happy to see the young girl and her wolf, the horse beside her was less than pleased. And as Ava made a beeline towards the raven, she had to fight against the mare to keep her from rearing back and bolting.

"Woah there, Ava!" She stepped between the frightened horse and overjoyed wolf. Ava's head tilted to the side curiously before she plopped down in the snow, tongue lolling out the side of her mouth. Ellis jumped onto her canine companion's back with a laugh and flashed Allania a toothy grin.

"Allania! What are you doing all the way up here?"

Allania smiled down at the younger girl. She murmured sweet nothings to the mare, still trying to get her to calm down, before addressing Ellis, "I had to rescue this sweet girl here from the Caldera."

Ava climbed to her feet, lifting Ellis up in height as well, and the mare shook her head at the sudden motion.

"Careful," Allania warned softly, placing a hand upon the equine's forehead, "She's still a little frightened."

The mare's eyes were wide, and she pawed at the ground nervously. Her body shifted back and forth, as if she was ready to bolt at any second. Ellis seemed to take the hint and patted Ava's head. The wolf glanced up before listening to her companion's silent message and laying down once more, head place softly between her front paws.

Ellis slipped off Ava's back as Allania continued to stroke the mare's neck. With careful hesitation she approached the horse, hand extended outwards towards the mare's nose. Her nostrils flared ever so slightly as she sniffed Ellis's hand, before coming to the conclusion the young girl was harmless. She nuzzled into the outstretched hand.

A soft smile settled on Allania's lips as Ellis beamed at the mare. She immediately- with careful movements- began to shower the mare with love. Ava grumbled from her spot on the ground, looking mildly jealous as her young companion directed her attention elsewhere.

While still holding the reigns carefully, Allania leaned down to scratch behind the wolf's ears, and her tail wagged happily, "Don't worry, Ava, we still love you too."

Ava yipped softly, and Ellis climbed back on the wolf's back once more. Allania gently tugged the mare forward, prodding her to walk, and the four made their way down the mount.

Ellis chattered happily about her and Ava's morning adventures, and how she _totally_ beat the wolf in their snowball fight. Allania couldn't help the fond grin that was on her face as the young girl relayed her stories with excitement, though conscious of the volume of her voice as to not frighten the mare further. Allania welcomed the distraction, as seeing Ellis and Ava always put a happy feeling in her heart, and the dull ache in the back of her mind faded away.

Once they finally entered into the small town, the group went their separate ways. Ellis and Ava disappeared back into the snowy mountain, the two looking forward to further enjoying the fresh snowfall. Meanwhile, Allania directed the mare towards the animal doctor's clinic, where she could recuperate comfortably and safely.

* * *

"Isaiah!" Allania called, entering the animal doctor's clinic through the barndoors in the front, "I've got our long-lost friend."

"Allania," The doctor spoke, stepping out of a stall and wiping his hands off. His voice was calm, but she could sense the underlying reprimanding tone, "I'm glad you were able to catch her, but I told you to _wait_ for me." Isaiah shook his head and Allania had the decency to look slightly sheepish as she tucked a raven lock of hair behind her ear, "The Cursed Caldera is no _joke_. You shouldn't be going up there on your own."

The girl shrugged nonchalantly and removed the reigns from the horse's mouth. The horse whinnied softly, and Allania reached up to scratch behind her ears, "I'm sorry. I know I should've waited, but I saw the trail and didn't want to lose it…" She gave Isaiah a soft smile before turning and pressing her forehead against the frightened creature's own.

He sighed, watching the two interact for a moment before shaking his head, "What's done is done. I'm just glad you two are safe." Isaiah walked up to the horse, caressing her mane and Allania held the horse still as he began to examine the equine for any signs of injury or trauma.

It was rather quiet in the clinic, the only sounds being Isaiah as he occasionally muttered to himself, and the soft shuffling of the other animals under the care of the animal doctor. This silence was disturbed, however, as some of the horses shifted anxiously in their stalls and began to whinny.

The commotion caught Allania's attention, and she looked up to see two young boys entering the clinic. A flash of recognition washed over the raven, and a familiar sense of pain twanged in the back of her skull.

The two looked rather out of place and hesitant as they ventured into the clinic, glancing around at the different animals that were under the doctor's current care. The taller boy clutched his satchel closer to his chest and tugged at the red scarf that was around his neck nervously. Meanwhile, the youngest hugged the grumpy looking creature in his arms closer to his chest, and Allania frowned as she peered at it.

It wasn't a common creature in the area, as it was obviously of Xadian origin, so it surprised the girl to see two _humans_ carrying it around. She, however, knew the doctor didn't have much experience with creatures of its type.

"We've got company, Isaiah."

"Hmm?" The doctor glanced up at the girl before looking over his shoulder, taking note of the two visitors, "Oh, I'll be right with you!" He called out before continuing on with his exam. Allania smiled at the two as they nodded in response.

They entered further into the clinic, walking towards where Allania and Isaiah stood with the frightened mare. The youngest glanced around at the other horses, smiling at them fondly and laughing as one neighed at him.

Isaiah patted the horse's back gently and concluded, "She seems alright. Still frightened, but I'm sure she'll make a full recovery." As he turned towards the two boys, he called over his shoulder, "Fetch her some water, will you Allania?"

"Of course."

The raven scratched the equine's chin lovingly before grabbing an empty wooden bucket and walking towards the nearest faucet. As she began to fill it with water, Isaiah studied the creature in the youngest boy's arms as he approached the two.

He pulled back, shifting his glasses and looking rather sorrowful, "Oh, I'm so sorry. There's nothing I can do for that poor creature. Mmm."

The older boy blinked, glancing down at his companion's animal friend as the younger boy did the same, "What?" He sounded confused, and Allania turned off the faucet once the bucket was full, "Oh, _no, no, no_. He's fine!" The boy in the scarf laughed, brushing off the doctor's comment and stepping forward, "We have, uh, a different problem…"

Allania eyed him curiously as she passed by with the bucket, walking slowly in an attempt to not spill any water. The boy's voice seemed hesitant, and it piqued her interest as to _why_ he was so unsure, but she kept her mouth shut. The sweet mare whinnied as she placed the bucket of water before her, and the younger boy walked towards the horse.

"Oh, what happened to you little sweetie?" He cooed; voice laced with concern. As if responding, the horse whinnied back, "Awww!" The boy wrapped his arm around the equine's muzzle, nuzzling her close as the horse soaked up the attention. It almost seemed as if he understood the mare, "You saw something _really_ scary, didn't you?"

Allania cocked her head to the side, confused as to how he could have deduced that. Most people couldn't read animals that well, "Yeah, she did." She stroked the mare's cheek, "She ran up the Cursed Caldera."

"And this is why I'm always warning you to _not_ go up there, Allania." Isaiah lightly reprimanded his assistant. She smiled at him sheepishly as he added on, "Whatever she saw, she's lucky it only _scared_ her. Won't make that mistake again." He patted the mare's cheek, and she bent her head to lap at the water, "So, what can I help you with?"

The two boys shared an unsure look, "Well you see, uh, it's a long story…"

"I believe we've got the time."

* * *

With the tea poured and each person seated around the wooden table, Isaiah prodded the two boys gently, "Now, tell me _exactly_ what's going on." He could sense their hesitation and unsureness as well, and if they weren't honest with him, then he couldn't help them to the fullest degree of his ability.

The younger boy glanced down at his pack, placing a hand on it before sharing a look with his companion, who began to speak, "Well, uh, a friend of ours has a problem."

"Jofus!" The one with the grumpy creature cut in with a smile. Allania didn't miss the annoyed look the older boy flashed him.

Isaiah shifted his glasses, glancing at the two with disbelief, "Your friend's name is _Jofus_?"

"It's a real name." The younger boy was defensive as he cradled his tea.

"Mmm-hmm. Yep!" Scarf boy agreed quickly- almost _too_ quickly.

Allania quirked a brow, " _I've_ never heard of anyone named Jofus." She ignored the look the doctor flashed her, instead watching the two boys share _another_ nervous glance. The girl didn't mean any harm by her comment, but something was fishy here.

"Oh, trust me! It's a real name and our friend, Jofus, has an egg. An- an- an- animal egg." The older boy stammered, leaning forward in his seat for extra emphasis. Allania couldn't help the frown that settled on her lips, and from the corner of her eyes, she could tell Isaiah wasn't all that amused either, "He's been taking _really_ good care of it! You know, keeping it warm, and safe… wrapped in blankets." He turned away, voice picking up in pace, "Except one time he dropped it into an icy lake for several minutes." He cleared his throat and smiled brightly, "Anywho…"

"Uh, sorry, what was that?"

The younger boy spoke up for his companion, and looked rather annoyed, "He dropped it into an _icy lake_."

"Joseph!" The other boy whirled around with an uneasy smile, "Uh, Jofus. Jofus did. This was Jofus."

"Oh, so your friend's name is _Jofus_?" Allania drawled with annoyance, sipping slowly on her tea. Whoever these boys were, they weren't the best liars and it was getting on her nerves. Scarf boy chuckled nervously.

" _Allania_." The doctor flashed the raven a stern look, and she mumbled out a quick apology. Isaiah turned his attention back to their visitors and carried on the conversation, "Right, of course. That sounds bad."

If Isaiah was anything, he was nothing but patient and kind.

"Yeah, we're worried it's hurt." The girl felt a slight bit guilty at the genuine looks of concern on the two's face. They may not be being truly honest with those they were seeking help from, but Allania could see that they were sincerely worried, "The egg is colder, and it doesn't glow like it used to."

Allania and Isaiah shared a perplexed look, "Wait, a _glowing_ egg?"

"Uh… _yes_?" The older boy raised a brow, and his companion just frowned.

Allania's head tilted to the side as she processed just what he had said. The only glowing eggs she knew of were _not_ from around Katolis- and even more so, they were _exceptionally_ rare.

The doctor pushed his chair back and stood up, leaning over the table, "Look, I can tell you have a real problem," He spoke slowly, " _We_ want to help, but we won't be able to unless you tell us what's _really_ going on." The two boys shared an unsure look, and Allania could see the hesitance in their expressions, "I promise you, we're _not_ going to get you in trouble."

The younger boy glanced from Isaiah to Allania, the latter offering him a kind smile. Despite her annoyance at their obvious lying, she did truly want to help.

With a sigh, his shoulders sagged as he spoke, "Okay, but you _can't_ tell anyone."

" _I_ promise," The doctor placed a hand on his heart before moving it to Allania's shoulder, "As does Allania, but you need to _trust_ us."

The older one sighed, but he also looked slightly relieved as he gave his friend a reassuring look. The younger boy looked between the three gathered at the table before nodding and pulling up his sack. He set it on the table and reached down to pull up the flap, hesitating momentarily before flipping it open.

What Allania saw inside left the girl- and Isaiah- astounded.

The two shared a loud gasp, dazzled by the shimmering and glowing _egg_ that sat within the bag. It was large in size, and a deep royal blue color. It was covered in multi-colored specks of various shapes and sizes that glowed and flickered lightly. Every so often the egg would pulsate, but Allania could tell it wasn't glowing as bright as it should've been.

"That's a… that's a _dragon_ egg!" The raven-haired girl managed to squeak out. The older boy nodded in acknowledgement but didn't speak another word.

"I've never seen one before," Isaiah glanced at his assistant before returning his attention to the egg, "Only pictures in books. We'll do what we can." He gently rubbed the egg with his gloved hand, an unsure expression upon his face.

The two boys looked relieved, and Isaiah leaned down. Allania watched with bated breath as the doctor pressed an ear against the egg. He tapped on it lightly in various different spots, listening intently, "I _do_ hear a heartbeat." He cradled the egg.

"That's good, right?" The younger boy quickly perked up.

"It's faint, and slow." Isaiah pulled back with a sigh, heart heavy as he shook his head. He looked sorrowful as he delivered his unfortunate prognosis, "I'm afraid its dying." Allania felt her heart drop, and she could tell the two boys felt the same way.

"A-are you sure?" She spoke softly.

The doctor nodded, "I'm sure. I don't know what I can do to save it. I'm so sorry."

"No!" The younger boy protested, reaching out to Isaiah, "There has to be something you can do! Anything! Please…" Allania felt her heart further break at the boy's desperate tone.

He wrapped his arms around the egg, leaning his head against it as a tear streaked down his cheek. The boy with the scarf looked sad as well and reached over to wrap his arms around his companion, "Come on, Ez, let's go. We'll find another way."

As the two continued to hug and cradle the dying egg, Allania stood up from her spot at the table to follow after Isaiah. He was stood facing the mare the girl had rescued earlier, hand resting on his chin and looking rather sorrowful and thoughtful at the same time. She knew the doctor _hated_ when he couldn't help someone.

"Is there really nothing we can do to help?" She spoke softly.

Isaiah glanced at his assistant with sad eyes. He dropped his hands to his side, "There… There may be one thing, Allania." There was a brief pause, and the raven glanced over to see the two boys had packed the egg up and were making their way towards the exit, shoulders sagged and looking very dejected.

With a shake of his head, Isaiah spun around and called out, "Wait!" They paused, turning around and Allania was curious as to what he was about to say, "I'm hesitant to tell you about this, because it might be incredibly dangerous."

Realization as to what he was about to say dawned on the girl, and she reached out, "Are… are you _sure_ , Isaiah?" An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

"No," He glanced over at her before looking back at the two boys, "but it might be the only way to save the dragon egg." There was another brief pause, and Isaiah looked like he was still debating with himself before he exhaled, "There was a miracle that happened a few years ago, but it happened… on the _Cursed Caldera_. There's someone you should meet, and Allania can take you to see them."

The girl nodded her head as her heart-rate picked up.

_The pieces were all starting to fall into place._

* * *

Allania pulled her cloak over her shoulders as she exited the clinic with the two boys. They were looking slightly more hopeful than they were a few minutes ago, but she could also tell they were doing their best to _not_ seem too hopeful. The girl didn't quite believe this was going to _actually_ help them, but it wasn't her place to further dash their hopes.

"So…" She spoke, catching the boys' attention and the two glanced up at the older girl, "Is that a Glow Toad?" She attempted to distract them as she pointed to their animal friend.

The younger boy- Ez she recalled him being referred to as- smiled as he held up his animal companion. It grumbled at the movement, "Yeah! Have you seen one before?"

"No, I've only seen them in books." Allania shook her head, pausing for a moment to reach down and scratch the grumpy creatures chin, "but they're much cuter in person." She cooed, and the Glow Toad let out a content croak and wagged his tail as the girl showered him with affection.

"Hey, Bait seems to like you!"

Allania furrowed her brows, "Is Bait his name?"

"Yeah," The older boy chimed in, rubbing the back of his neck, as Ez lovingly patted Bait's head, "It's a… uh, _interesting_ story."

"Mmm. I'll bet." The girl hummed and rounded a corner as she continued to lead the boys to their destination, "I'm Allania, by the way." She called over her shoulder, suddenly remembering they hadn't had a proper introduction yet.

"I'm Callum," The boy with the scarf gestured to himself before waving at his companion, "And this is my younger brother, Ezran."

"It's nice to formally meet you two." The girl laughed.

Ezran grinned, "And it's a pleasure to meet you too, Allania!"

"I'm Ellis, and this is my _sweetie_ wolf, Ava!"

A young girl chirped with bright eyes, and Allania smiled as Ava lovingly rubbed her muzzle against Ellis's cheek. They shared a warm embrace, noses rubbing against each other as the oversized canine cooed happily.

After explaining the situation at hand to Ava- in a _very_ vague manner Callum insisted upon- the young brunette was more than happy to sit down and share her wild story with the two brothers. So here they all sat, the fireplace aglow and providing a welcoming warmth on the otherwise freezing day.

Ellis chuckled as she pulled away from Ava, and the wolf trotted over to Allania's side. She stroked the canine's fur lovingly as the young girl began to speak once more, "The doctor's right, there _was_ a miracle." She leaned forward in her chair with a shrug, "I still don't really understand what happened, but I _do_ know this… without it, Ava would be _dead_."

Ava whimpered softly at the comment, shifting away from Allania and returning to Ellis's side. The brunette turned towards her companion, stroking the side of her face as she delved into her harrowing tale just as Bait clambered into Allania's lap.

"Two years ago, I found her in the woods, when she was just a little cub…"

* * *

Allania fidgeted, eyes trailing towards the fire as Ellis finished relaying her tale of the miracle healer on the Cursed Caldera. Ava barked at the end of her human's story, and Ellis reached over to wrap her arms around the wolf. They shared another loving embrace, the sight shedding some of Allania's nerves as she smiled softly, and Callum jumped to his feet.

"We have to find this miracle healer!" He declared, gesturing towards Ava's magically restored leg, "If she can save a cub's missing paw…" The scarfed boy glanced down at his brother.

Realization dawned on Ezran's face, and Allania frowned as he to jumped to his feet. He raised his backpack high up, and Bait jumped off the raven's lap, "Maybe she can save a dragon egg!"

_So much for vagueness._

"Wait, a _what_?" Ellis exclaimed, eyes wide and the two boys froze. They shared perplexed looks before shifting their gaze towards Allania, silently seeking her help. The girl shrugged, and Callum fumbled for words.

"Uh, he said, maybe she can… shave a wagon leg!"

"But why would she… but-" Ellis tried to make sense of the situation as the two brothers' plastered on their best _'we promise this all makes sense'_ faces as they slowly shifted towards the door.

Standing up with an eye roll, Allania placed her hands on her hips. These boys were _not_ the smoothest, "He said, maybe she can save their friend, Lagan's, leg."

"Yeah!" Callum agreed with a nervous chuckle, "Our friend, Lagan, has a leg… that he hurt…"

Ellis didn't look convinced, and the raven knew she was smarter than that. Allania didn't like lying to the young girl, as they had gotten close in the years since she saved Ava, but the less people who knew there was a dragon's egg in town, the better.

After all, she had seen how the town had reacted to the Sunfire forged dagger some random swordsman tutted about with in the commons. They were awed by it, despite the human's history with Xadia, and a dragon's egg would certainly be a spectacle.

Allania just wasn't sure it'd be a _good_ one.

Ava's tail wagged happily back and forth at the commotion in the small room, and Ellis narrowed her eyes at the trio, "I could've sworn he said dra-"

"Sorry!" Ezran cut in with a bright grin, awkwardly clearing his throat as he slung his bag over his shoulder and scooped Bait into his arms, "Gotta go!"

Allania shrugged apologetically as the boys made a beeline towards the door, the young girl staring after them in confusion. She offered Ellis a smile and mouthed an apology as Callum shouted, "Thank you so much!"

Ellis blinked as the door slammed shut behind them.

* * *

"Well, that was _smooth_." Allania commented coyly once the trio was a few houses away from Ellis's. She pulled her dark hair over her shoulder and flipped up her hood as a particularly cold breeze blew through the alley. If her two companions were cold, they didn't show it.

"Yeah, well, if Ez here hadn't slipped up…"

"Hey!" The young boy protested, glaring up at his brother, before shrugging lazily, "It just… _slipped_ out."

A small smile flitted across Callum's face, a sign that he was only joking, before he shook his head and glanced over at Allania. The girl had absentmindedly been following the two boys as they made their way towards the town's main square- as she felt compelled to follow the brothers _and_ the dragon egg. If they were opposed to her company, neither of them said a thing her.

The scarfed boy looked thoughtful for a moment as he stared at the girl, and Allania turned her brown gaze towards him with a quirked brow. Callum cleared his throat, averting his eyes before rubbing the back of his neck and speaking softly, "So, uh, Allania…"

"Mmm?" She prodded.

"The- the doctor made a comment about how you've been up the Cursed Caldera, right?"

"That he did." Allania responded vaguely.

Ezran's eyes brightened as he turned to stare up at the raven, finishing his brother's thought, "Do you think you could _lead_ us up there?"

Allania faltered for a moment, choking on her breath and she cleared her throat, "I, uhm, _what_?" Frankly, she couldn't be _too_ surprised they asked her this- and if Ezran hadn't slipped up with Ellis, they may have asked _her_ to take them up.

She just wasn't sure if she _should_ or not.

Ezran and Callum looked towards Allania with hopeful eyes, each brushing off her initial reaction as she looked away, "I don't know if that's a good idea… you _don't_ know if this healer really exists and- and the Caldera is _dangerous_!"

Callum had the decency to look a _little_ bit more hesitant in regard to what they asked the girl, but Ezran still seemed eager at the lead and continued to press, "But it's our _only_ lead!" He held his bag towards the girl, who still looked unsure, and if they weren't closer to a busy part of town, Allania was sure he would've opened the bag to show her the _dying_ dragon's egg once more, " _Please_? The magical healer may be our _only_ hope!"

And just like that, an unfamiliar feeling washed over Allania, and she found herself agreeing to be their guide despite her _mind_ protesting. She wasn't sure what compelled her to agree- and so suddenly as well- but in her heart it felt right, and as if something _big_ was close to happening.

"Great, we've got a guide! Now we just need to go get Rayla and we can head out!" Callum chirped, looking the most hopeful Allania had seen him in the _short_ amount of time she had known the boy.

"Uh, _who_?"

"She's our _elf_ friend!" Ezran beamed like it was obvious, and Allania felt her eyebrows shoot up. A dragon's egg and an elf girl all in one small town. This was all _very_ intriguing- and honestly, explained _a lot_.

" _Ez_!" The older boy hissed at his brother, who just shrugged nonchalantly.

"What? She's going to find out _eventually_! It's not like Rayla's _that_ good at hiding her elf-ness."

"Yeah, but…" Callum trailed off unsurely before daring to glance Allania's way. The girl's lips were pursed, face unreadable, and he feared the worst concerning her reaction to the news they had an _elf_ with them.

"Okay," The raven breathed out with a shrug, "Makes sense."

"What, uh, what makes sense?" Callum's lips twisted in confusion as he pondered Allania's reaction, and Ezran turned to keep walking. He was confused by her reaction, as most other humans didn't look too favorably upon elves, but Ez was right- there was _no way_ they could hide Rayla's elven heritage from Allania on their journey.

"You have a dragon egg. Those come from Xadia. Do you know what _else_ comes from Xadia?" She toyed with a soft laugh.

The scarfed boy tilted his head to the side, " _Elves_?" He answered slowly.

"Right you are!" Allania poked his chest, before spinning around the frowning teen. She raced off after Ezran, leaving a blinking and mildly baffled Callum behind.

_More and more pieces were starting to click together._

* * *

The town square was relatively deserted as the trio entered it. An unnerved feeling tugged at the back of Allania's mind, as it was _very_ odd for the area to be this deserted at the time of day it was, but she brushed it off as nerves at the journey that laid ahead. In the middle of the square sat a lone figure, hunched over and shrouded in a cloak, and as soon as Ezran's eyes landed on them, he shouted.

"Rayla!" The young boy was quick to then cover the distance and the figure- _Rayla_ \- glanced up. She looked rather sullen, but Allania was only able to get a short look at the elf, as she was quick to duck her head upon noticing the _stranger_ with Callum and Ezran.

"Did you find the knife guy? Did you get his _knife_?" Ezran barraged the cloaked elf with questions as Allania and Callum approached the two. The raven was mildly confused as to what he was talking about but didn't bother to ask as it didn't concern her.

Rayla pulled the cloak tighter around herself, as if trying to _further_ hide herself, "Who's yur friend?" She spoke lowly, ignoring Ezran's own question to inquire about the newcomer.

"Oh, uh, this is Allania!" Callum gestured at the taller girl beside himself, who waved in response, "And she knows… about the egg… and you… being an… _elf_ …" The boy smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as Rayla peered up at him with a deep frown.

From within the depths of the cloak, Allania could make out a pair of purple eyes, which were filled with hesitance and concern. She couldn't blame the other girl for being wary of strangers- especially the _human_ kind. The raven had heard all about how elves were 'blood thirsty and vile' creatures from the villagers, so she could only imagine how on edge Rayla must've been, especially in a human town, on the human side of the world.

"That I do." Allania hummed, doing her best to offer the still cloaked girl a comforting smile. She really didn't mean any harm.

At the sound of the new voice, Rayla shifted her violet gaze towards Allania, cloak lowering ever so slightly, "An' you don't _care_?"

She shrugged, "Not all humans view Xadians unfavorably."

Rayla didn't look super convinced, but she didn't press that specific matter further. However, she wanted to ask just _why_ the girl was there, but Callum cut back in before she could say something, "You never did answer…" He spoke softly, almost as if he was approaching a tricky subject, "Did you get the knife?"

The elf's shoulders sagged and she released her cloak before sticking a hand out. The skin color was _obviously_ not the right shade- and Allania could recognize the dying tissue as the hand lost its blood flow. There was a bind on Rayla's hand, one that was _very_ taut and seemed mystical in appearance.

Allania recognized the symbol of the Moonshadow elves on the bind, and with a closer look at Rayla, she could now tell the other girl was a Moonshadow elf herself.

"The bad news is…. The Sunforge blade didn't work."

The raven frowned, "Wait, are you talking about the dagger that swordsman guy's been flashing about?"

"You know of him?" Ezran glanced up.

Allania nodded, eyes fluttering in annoyance, "Yeah, he showed up a few weeks ago bragging about the _Sunforge dagger_ he somehow _stole_ from a Sunfire elf."

"That's the guy," Rayla rolled her eyes as well, giving Allania the impression that she _also_ had an unfavorable encounter with the man, "Anyways…" She flipped her hood down, showing off her elf-ness to the world, "the good news is that the binding will fall off naturally…" The girl tried to look optimistic as she studied her injured hand. After a few seconds it went limp, and Rayla frowned at it, "when my hand does…"

Ezran looked mildly skeeved out, and Allania crinkled her nose, "That's… _optimistic_." Rayla shrugged with a grim expression.

Callum grimaced at the thought, him and Ezran sitting down on either side of the elf as Allania stood before the three. The scarfed boy placed a hand on Rayla's shoulder, "Ah, Rayla, I'm sorry."

"It's _fine_." Rayla kicked at the stone beneath her feet, shoulders slumped further before she glanced between Ezran and Callum with a slightly hopeful expression, "Tell me something good happened with the egg?"

Callum glanced up at the sky, "Yes and no." Rayla frowned and Allania rubbed her arm awkwardly as the scarfed boy stammered, "Well… well, no. Not yet, but maybe!"

"You _really_ have a way with words, don't you?"

Ezran giggled as Callum shot Allania an annoyed look, Rayla looking between the three with mild confusion- and annoyance. She didn't understand _why_ this random human was with the princes, or what help she could possibly be.

"Oh, ha _ha_." The older boy grumbled before shaking his head. He returned his attention to Rayla, who stayed silent as he chuckled nervously, "but, uh, yes? In a way? We might have good… news?"

The elf didn't look convinced, and Allania crossed her arms, "Okay, that's averaging out to be a _maybe-minus_."

"Yeah, that's about right."

Ezran leaned forward as Rayla and Callum glanced at the ground, Allania still standing quietly before them, "We learned about a miracle healer. Someone who might be able to help the egg. And your hand too!" The younger boy jumped up, coming to stand next to Allania as Rayla looked hopeful, "And Allania can take us to them!"

" _Really_?" The young elf smiled, sullen demeanor shifting away as hope bubble up within her.

"Oh, but you're forgetting the best part!" Allania spoke up, voice laced with mild sarcasm. She turned, lifting a hand and pointing delicately at the mountain that loomed over the town. All eyes snapped to where she was pointing, "The healer supposedly lives up _there_."

Callum's shoulders sagged as he took in the full height of landmark and breathed out, "The _Cursed_ Caldera."

" _Please_ tell me it's named that because it was discovered by the great explorer, _Sir Phineas Cursed_." Rayla spoke with a grimace.

"Well, actually, it's because it's infested with horrible monsters-" The scarfed boy turned towards his friend, who flashed him an unamused look as Allania cut him off.

"I believe that was _sarcasm_ , Callum."

He pursed his lips in mild embarrassment, ignoring Rayla's agreeing nod, "No I, uh, I knew that…" Callum twiddled his fingers, glancing from the stones below his feet to the mountain and back again.

Allania sighed as she turned to glance back up at the mountain herself. The raven ran a hand through her locks and shook her head. She couldn't believe she was doing this, "We should probably-"

"There she is! She's an _elf_!"

Rayla jolted at the sudden call out, eyes going wide as her three human companions jerked around. A mob had abruptly appeared out of nowhere, led by the swordsman with the Sunforge dagger, and they didn't look very _happy_. He jabbed said blade in their direction, the weapon glinting in the sunlight as the mob clamored and jeered around him.

"And there's the humans that _do_ look at Xadian's unfavorably…" Allania muttered under her breath as she prepared for what was to come.

"Oh, _right_." Their elf friend laughed nervously, "I forgot about the _other_ bad news…" She had stood up from her spot, cloak still wrapped tightly around herself as she slowly began to back away. Ezran and Callum's eyes were narrowed in uncertainty, before they suddenly widened as Rayla turned tail.

It took a brief second for the three humans to digest the fact that they should _probably run_ \- and when it did click, they were quick to race after the girl. The mob immediately high-tailed it after them, pitchforks and brooms raised high as they yelled after the quartet.

Allania could've _sworn_ she heard someone call her name and tell her to get away from the elf, but she didn't dare look over her shoulder to see who it was. She knew what she was getting into the moment she laid her eyes on that dragon egg, and she knew just what a good majority of the town's folk thought about Xadians- she had, after all, grown up here- so she was fully prepared for the risk she was about to face.

But this was just something that she knew she had to help with and wouldn't back out now.

So, as Rayla, Callum, and Ezran were chased out of the town's main entrance and up towards the Cursed Caldera, Allania made a quick detour.

_There was one more piece of the puzzle they needed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so everyone knows, I have named the animal doctor Isaiah because he needed a name lmao
> 
> Let me know what ya'll think~ <33


	3. ⭐ Cursed Caldera ⭐

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellis and Allania lead the friends to the Cursed Caldera but warn its crawling with nasty monsters.

**The Dragon Prince is not mine.**

* * *

⭐ **C** **ursed Caldera** ⭐

" _Where there is no vision, there is no hope."_

\- George Washington Carver

* * *

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, _yes_!"

Ellis leaned forward from her perch on Ava excitedly, brown eyes wide as she continued to chorus her agreeance. Allania frowned at the young girl, eyebrows quirked downwards. She held her arms up in an effort to calm the excited child.

"Hey now, don't you want to take a second to _think_ about this?" Allania quipped lightly.

Ellis leaned back and pursed her lips. For a brief second she was silent and calm, but only for a brief second, "Thought about it and my answer is still _yes_." Allania bit back a laugh.

Allania had to admit, she wasn't _super_ surprised Ellis had given in so easily to helping her lead Rayla, Callum, and Ezran up the Cursed Caldera. After all, this _was_ the girl that, three years prior, trekked _by herself_ up the mountain side with an injured wolf pup and somehow made it back down in one piece.

There were grown men that didn't make it up- nonetheless _down_ \- the Cursed Caldera.

Despite her young age, Ellis sure did like to live on the edge.

Allania was just mildly upset the passionate speech she had thought up in the two minutes it took her to get to Ellis's place from the main square had been wasted on the young girl's eagerness for adventure.

"It's going to be dangerous."

"Yes." Ellis leaned forward.

"There's going to be monsters."

" _Yes._ " Ellis rolled her eyes.

"We're going to be risk-"

Ellis giggled at Allania's attempt at dramatics, interrupting the older girl, "I already said _yes_!" She flopped over on Ava's back, the wolf glancing up at her master with an adoring expression.

"Oh, did you now?" A sly grin played on the raven's lips, "I hadn't noticed."

* * *

Long after the angry cries of the townspeople had faded away, Callum, Rayla, and Ezran continued to run. They didn't want to take any chances, so they continued to race up the mountainside without looking back. If they got caught, that was going to be the end of it all.

A large tree came into view as they rounded a sharp bend. Rayla led the charge as she gracefully leapt over an above ground root before ducking behind the tree and sliding down its base to sit on the ground. Callum and Ezran flanked either side of the girl, each one out of breath and panting heavily.

"I think we're safe." Callum commented after taking a quick glance around the large trunk.

As he sucked in a deep breath, Rayla rolled her eyes, "Safe? Sure." She retorted sarcastically, ignoring the sharp look the older prince flashed her. Neither of the princes responded to the elf, as they focused on re-catching their breath.

Unlike Rayla- a _highly trained_ and _skilled_ assassin- Callum and Ezran had limited running and cardio skills. In fact, the older prince's lacking cardio skills was noticeable enough that Soren often commented on it whilst they were training.

They made not be in _bad_ shape, but they certainly weren't in _Rayla_ shape.

After a few more moments of catching his breath, Callum looked around. After doing a quick mental count, he realized they were down a companion, "Uh, where's Allania?"

At the mention of the girl's name, it also dawned on Rayla and Ezran that Allania had in fact disappeared on them. When they lost her, none of them could really say.

Ezran held Bait close as he frowned, "Maybe she got cold feet and turned back?" Though he didn't really know the girl, he had to admit, it was a lot to ask a stranger to risk their life by taking them up someplace called the _Cursed Caldera_.

He just hoped they could still find the miracle healer without her.

"Ah, who cahn blame 'er?" Rayla commented with a shrug. She climbed to her feet, winging slightly when she put too much pressure on her bad hand, "The _Cursed Caldera_ doesn't sound like a place for humans anyways."

"Uh, Rayla? _We're_ human." Callum deadpanned as he joined the elf on his feet. Ezran frowned at their friend.

Rayla brushed off the comment with a soft chuckle, "But you have _me_ to protect you!"

Callum quirked an unimpressed brow, "Are you saying you wouldn't have protected _Allania_ if she were here with us?"

"What? I, uh, no! Not at all! That's not-" The question caught Rayla off guard, and now she was flustered and backpedaling because she _definitely_ would've looked out for Allania if she was still with them and for Callum to suggest otherwise was ridiculous and was he _laughing_? He was definitely laughing, and it finally dawned on the elf that maybe he had been toying with her, "… _jerk_." She punched his shoulder.

"Ow!" The older prince had the decency to look _slightly_ sheepish as he rubbed his now aching shoulder. Callum had forgotten that teasing Rayla could lead to pain.

"Okay, but guys," Ezran had joined the two, and was now staring up the mountain ahead, "how exactly are we going to find the miracle healer?"

"I think _we_ can help with that." A voice spoke from the shadows.

Rayla immediately went on the defensive, jumping in front of the two princes as they tensed behind her. She whipped out a sword, twirling and holding it in her good hand and bracing herself to attack.

Allania figured now was as good of a time as ever to step out of the shadows. With Ellis and Ava at her side, the trio made themselves know. A happy- and relieved- expression danced across Callum's face at the sight of the raven and he called out to her.

"Allania! We were wondering where you went."

She gestured to Ellis and Ava beside her, "I went to get reinforcements."

"Come with us," The young girl spoke with a smile, "We'll help you find her!"

* * *

The sun had slowly begun to set, casting an eerie glow on the mountainside. Shadows danced along the ground, the desolate trees that lined the path casting distorted silhouettes and further adding to the haunting ambiance that blanketed the group.

Rayla peered curiously at Ellis and her wolf companion. Whereas Allania already knew of her elf heritage, the young girl did not, but she made no mention to this whatsoever. To say the elf was perplexed was an understatement.

"So… hi there!" She waved her four fingers Ellis's way, giving a friendly smile before it shifted into a confused frown, "but who are you exactly?"

"Me?" Ellis twisted her head, "I'm Ellis, and this is Ava." She patted her canine companion's head, who panted happily, "She's a wolf."

"Wolf, _really_?" Rayla's voice was playfully sarcastic as she spoke, "I thought bird." Allania giggled as she glanced over her shoulder, just in time to see Ava tilt her head back to lick the elf in her face. She grimaced, wiping away the slobbery mess and Callum turned around.

"Oh, I should have introduced you guys." He seemed apologetic as he gestured to his elf friend, "Ellis, this is Rayla, who we originally met because, uh…" Callum trailed off unsurely, lips pursing in thought as he rubbed the back of his head, "Well, she broke into our castle, trying to kill Ezran."

Ellis's eyes snapped towards Rayla, who's shoulders were hunched as a guilty expression flitted across her face. Allania blinked in surprise, unsure of what exactly to say as an air of awkwardness shrouded the small group. Back in the village, no one had had the time to explain the circumstances of their meeting, so this was all news to the raven as well.

Callum and Ezran shared unsure looks, the former still rubbing the back of his head as the young prince quickly clarified, "But it doesn't matter. We're past that now!"

"People meet in _so many_ interesting ways!" Ellis commented nonchalantly, not phased in the slightest by the information they had just learned.

Allania, however, had questions.

 _A lot_ of questions.

She raised her hand.

Callum looked surprised at the motion, and gestured towards her, "Uh, Allania?"

"Yeah, uh, did you say _castle_?"

"That's where we, uh… that's where we live." The older prince answered.

Allania nodded, "Okay, and did you say _trying to kill_ Ezran?"

Rayla shrank back once more at the mention of her failed assassination, hating the reminder of what she almost did, while Ezran nodded casually, "Yep." He chirped, not put off in the slightest at the reminder that he had once been targeted for death.

"Alright, that's enough questions for one day, dontcha think?" Rayla interjected when Allania opened her mouth once more. She was quick to change the subject, "So how do we _find_ this healer?"

"You just asked a question." Allania lightly jabbed. When Rayla flashed her an annoyed scowl, she responded with a cheeky grin.

Ellis sat upright on Ava once more, eyes trailing up to the peak of the mountain, "Truth is, I never found her. She found us. We were hiding in a big, twisty, hollow tree. Up near the rim!"

Four sets of eyes joined Ellis's own gaze as they stared up the Cursed Caldera. Allania had to admit, she had never really realized just how _tall_ the mountain truly was. They had a _long_ journey ahead of them- she just hoped everything would pan out accordingly.

"Then we need to get to that tree. Even if it takes all night." Callum decreed.

"Wait…" Rayla frowned, violet eyes narrowed in hesitation as she glanced around the group. Everyone seemed ready to go- everyone but the white-haired elf that was, "that's all we have to go on?" As a Moonshadow elf, Rayla was used to well thought out and fool proof plans, so all this didn't sit well with her in the slightest, "A weird tree, where this _miracle_ healer showed up three years ago?" The elf approached Callum, hoping the boy would have more sense in him.

"It's our only chance. Got a better idea?" He questioned the girl as Allania reached down to pick up Bait.

Rayla suddenly looked off into the distance, Allania cocking her head to the side as the elf looked thoughtful, "As a matter of fact…" Her face dropped, lips jutting out in a pout as her mind came up empty, "I do not."

Allania shared a look with Ellis, and the younger girl gently signaled to Ava to walk forward, "I will get us to that tree. The healer will find us there, and she'll save the egg!"

"And maybe she can help your hand!" Ezran chimed in.

Rayla glanced down at the injured appendage, cradling it gently before shaking her head, "Don't worry about mah hand. The egg is all that matters now."

And as the group set off to scale the rest of the Cursed Caldera, Allania couldn't help the feeling of unsureness that tore through her body like a storm.

* * *

The trek up the mountainside proved to be just as dangerous and daunting as Allania had thought it'd be. At various points the path they had been following had been destroyed or covered by debris from rockslides and other natural disasters. A handful of times they had to make daring leaps across small chasms, and Allania thanked the stars she wasn't afraid of heights when they were forced to use a fallen tree as a makeshift bridge when crossing a canyon.

Nevertheless, Allania and Ellis led the charge as they slowly made their way up the mountainside. The raven kept Bait in her arms the whole time, holding onto the Glowtoad while Ezran made sure the dragon's egg was kept safe.

Bait didn't seem to mind the attention, however, as it helped him keep up with his people as well as keep him safe.

"There should be a ledge just ahead we can rest on!" Ellis suddenly announced to the group. Allania looked back to see Callum and Rayla hoisting Ezran up a little ledge. Whereas the elf seemed to be doing just fine with all the climbing, the two princes were looking a bit worse for wear.

But they were troopers and hadn't complained a single second of their journey.

Ava darted forward at the command of her master, happily obliging as she led the way forward. Sure enough, just like Ellis had said, there was a large ledge that protruded outwards from the mountainside. It was sturdy enough to hold the group, and Allania felt the breath leave her system at the view before her.

The sun hung lower in the sky, casting brilliant shades of orange and yellow over the lands below. The sky was painted with hues of pink, which mixed effortlessly with the yellows and oranges from the sun. It was awe inspiring and looked just like a painting.

"It's so beautiful." Ellis sighed dreamily, vocalizing Allania's thoughts, "It's like the sky is painted with honey!"

Allania stepped further onto the ledge and inched closer to the edge. She only dared to go so close and stopped once a strange tingling feeling at the sight of the drop below washed over her legs. The raven glanced around, soaking in the view and smiling softly as she spotted their town below.

It was hard to make out at this height, and Allania couldn't believe just how far they had trekked in a single day.

"Wow." Ezran breathed out, also in awe at the view before him. Rayla and Callum each wore similar expressions.

Ellis chuckled as Ava turned around and they walked to the back of the group, "Too bad it also means the _nightmare's_ about to begin!"

A feeling of shock and surprise rippled through Rayla, Callum, and Ezran, and Allania's lip quirked upwards at their response. They shared unsure looks with each other before Rayla stammered, "W-what do you mean?"

"Haven't you been wondering where the _cursed_ part of the Cursed Caldera comes in?" Allania remarked coolly and Ellis extended her arms out wide.

"Yeah, you know, enormous monsters, indescribably terrors!" She hunched her fingers over like claws for extra emphasis before shrugging, "Stuff like that."

Callum frowned at the two's nonchalance, "Stuff like that." He repeated blankly.

"Yeah." The young girl confirmed, "And the higher we go, the worse it'll get."

Bait grumbled in Allania's arms at the mention of the terrors, and she hugged him closer as she flashed the group a bemused look, "Care to turn around now?"

"No, no." Rayla shook her head, "Let's go!" She attempted to feign excitement, but it came out more like a grimace than anything.

"No, no, no, wait." Callum interjected, "We're going to need a plan."

Ezran didn't look convinced as he walked towards Ellis and Ava, "How do you plan for _indescribable_ terrors? I feel like you need to be able to describe them first?"

"Uhm…" Ellis held up a finger and offered, "Horrifying! Blood-curdling. Creepy, but in a _super_ extreme way that feels like it's lighting your soul on fire."

"That's… oddly specific?" Allania tilted her head, sharing a bewildered look with Ezran.

"I-I think that helps?" The young prince shrugged, unsure. Ellis just looked pleased with herself.

Callum placed a hand to his forward, "Wait! Wait, wait, wait! I've got it! _Flash! Woof! Whoosh! Slish-slash!_ " The older boy cried out, looking immensely proud of himself he paired each word with a matching action before turning to look at the group expectantly.

Allania had a blank look on her face, unsure of what to make of the scene before her. The others beside her looked to be in a similar mindset, each one staring at Callum in mild confusion and awaiting a further explanation for _what the heck_ just came out of his mouth.

Ellis was the first to break the silence, hand extended outwards in a thumbs up, "Awesome!" She leaned down to whisper to Rayla, "Um, is he okay?"

The elf held a hand up to the side of her mouth, whispering in a hushed tone back, "I think he's finally cracked under the pressure." Allania giggled at the comment and Callum just looked annoyed.

However, he wasn't fazed by his friend's confusion for long before he exclaimed, "No, that's the plan!" He suddenly pointed at his brother, who blinked at the call-out, "Ezran, you have the first job! You hold Bait in the air so he can flash and blind whatever monster it is." At the mention of his name, the grumpy creature wiggled and Allania took the cue before placing him on the ground, where he waddled over to Ezran. _Flash_!"

Ezran didn't look convinced, "Wait… but then I'm not really doing anything? I'm just kind of holding up Bait."

"You're support!" Callum explained, "Every team needs a great support." His brother still didn't look convinced, but the older prince moved onto the next step before he could say anything more, "Ellis, you're next! Ava will bark, and you'll ride around in circles to confuse the monster. _Woof_!"

"I don't know…" Ellis began, an air of playfulness to her voice as she glanced down at her beloved wolf, "Do you think you can run around and bark a lot, Ava?" The giant canine woofed in response, causing the young girl to giggle, "She's ready!"

"Then me!" Callum continued on, a sky primal stone in his hand. Allania didn't have much time to marvel at it and question where the boy got it from as he began to draw a miniature rune in the air, "I'll use my windbreath spell. _Whoosh_!"

A small breeze blew past the group, and Ellis perked up in excitement, "You're going to cast a _spell_?" She gushed.

The older prince looked flustered at the attention his little spell was getting, "It's just a simple rune thing I picked up. No big deal." He smiled softly.

"Yeah, he's gonna _blow_ on the monster." Rayla teased, "Ruffle its fur _real_ good."

Looking rather unamused, Callum placed his hands on his hips and scowled at the elf, "It's either that, or the half of the _lightning_ spell I know. Specifically, the half that _doesn't_ shoot lightning out of my fingertips!"

"Oh, but that sounds like more fun!" Allania remarked with a grin, and Rayla snorted.

"Trust me, it's _not_." Callum glowered.

Ezran stepped forward, "That monster won't know what hit it!" A coy smirk danced on his lips as he leaned teasingly towards his brother, "Oh, wait, it will. It'll be wind!"

Rayla covered her mouth as a loud laugh slipped past her lips, and Allania couldn't help her own chuckle. The older prince flashed the two girls his best glares, but it was futile as they continued to laugh.

He shook his head before exclaiming, "Rayla!" The laughter stopped as Callum finished his plan, "You're last. The finisher!" At the mention of it being the end of the plan, Allania deflated slightly. She had to admit, she felt kind of left out at not being included in the plan, but she couldn't blame Callum. It's not like he really knew her or her skills, "You'll take down the blinded, distracted, _windblown monster_ with your blades! _Slish-slash_!"

"My hand is in pretty bad shape," Rayla reminded, holding the injured limb up for emphasis, "I'm only gonna be able to use _one_ blade."

"Okay, then you're just… _slash_!"

"No way. That won't work." The elf leaned forward, holding up her good hand, "This is my _slish_ hand!"

"Uh, really?" Callum questioned unsurely and Allania giggled softly as the sarcasm went over his head.

"No, _not_ really." Rayla beamed at him.

"Oh, uh, okay then…" He chuckled hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck before he turned towards Allania. She met his gaze expectantly, and Callum looked a bit awkward, "Uhm, Allania. I'm sorry but I wasn't sure how to incorporate you into the plan?" He twiddled his thumbs and did his best to look apologetic.

"It's fine," Allania shrugged understandingly before suddenly perking up, "Oh, but I have _excellent_ aim! Maybe that could come in handy?"

Rayla peered at the older girl suspiciously, "How _excellent_ are we talkin'?"

The raven smiled coyly at the elf, Rayla's brows furrowing together at the expression before she turned to look at the ground. Her lips pursed together as she looked for the perfect throwing object. An 'ah hah!' escaped Allania's lips once she found what she was looking for, and she bent down before quickly scooping a coin-sized rock. Testing its weight and throwing capabilities, she tossed the rock in the air a few times.

Now she just needed a good target.

The gathered group eyed the girl curiously as she turned to face a slightly dead tree in the distance- one that was approximately 20 yards or so away. It was mostly barren, the soil not suitable for life and the atmosphere of the mountain not providing it with enough oxygen, but one lone leaf hung from a low branch.

It moved softly in the wind, and Allania set her eyes on it.

"That leaf over there is _going down_." She murmured more to herself than anyone else. Rayla looked unconvinced as she crossed her arms, watching as the older girl settled herself into a good throwing position.

"You'll _never_ hit that from here."

Allania wasn't phased by the elf's comment, and instead shot the girl a determined look. She turned back towards her target, taking quick note of how far it was- and how breezy the cliff's edge was- before rearing her arm back. Snapping her arm forward, the rock flew through the air, arching mid-flight before railing the leaf dead-on.

Together, the leaf and rock clattered to the ground. Allania turned towards her travelling companions, and Ellis clapped. Callum and Ezran looked impressed, while Rayla just shrugged.

Allania expected as much from Rayla. As a Moonshadow elf assassin, a big part of their training was being _incredibly_ accurate and precise. She no doubt had worked with other Moonshadow elves who had even _better_ aim than Allania's own.

"Yeah, that's- that's _perfect_! You can help with the distraction!" Callum exclaimed, holding his hand in the air as he struck another pose, "Okay, revised plan! _Flash!_ " He stretched his arms out wide, " _Woof!_ " Claw hand pose, " _Thunk!_ " He mimicked throwing something, " _Whoosh!_ " Primal stone in hand, he struck his arm out, fingers wiggling, " _Slash_!" Karate-chop motion.

Allania shared a look with Ellis, the two giggling while Rayla just shook her head, "'Yur a dummy." Ezran chuckled at the comment, and the elf suddenly looked comprehensive. She pondered a silent thought for a moment. Before anyone could question her, Rayla suddenly exclaimed, "Wait. Callum, you may be a dummy, but you're not a fool!" She walked forward and placed her hands on the shorter boy's shoulders.

Callum frowned, "Am I supposed to feel _flattered_ by this?"

Rayla didn't look dissuaded from what she was about to stay, and instead looked a tad bit excited, almost as if she had just figured out the missing piece to a puzzle, "You said Claudia called you a _fool_ when you interrupted her lightning spell." The older prince gave her a look that said 'go on', "but I'll bet she was actually trying to say ' _fulminis_ '!"

"Oh, the _Draconic_ word for lightning!" Allania couldn't help but interject. At the confused looks she received, the raven rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly and spluttered out an explanation, "Being so close to the Xadian border, sometimes elven goods make their way into the town?"

The explanation was obviously superficial, and Rayla looked ready to say something, but the excitement at knowing the trigger word for his lighting spell caused Callum to speak before the elf could, "So if _fulminis_ is the trigger word-"

"Then you know the spell for lighting!" Ezran interjected with a grin, jumping between the two teens.

A wide grin etched itself onto Callum's face, and the older prince looked closely at the sky primal stone in his hand. Lightning flashed as the storm within churned, and he looked back up at the gathered people excitedly, "Okay, revised _revised_ plan!" Allania eyed him curiously as Callum flickered through a variety of different poses, exclaiming once more, " _Flash! Woof! Thunk! Zap! Slash!_ " At the end of his announcement, the older prince placed his hands on his hips and looked rather proud of herself.

Allania crossed her arms, a soft smile on her face as she shook her head. Rayla breathed out in annoyance, and Ellis and Ezran shared unnerved looks. Callum's shoulder slumped at the less-than-excited responses he received to his new _new_ plan and dropped the primal stone back into his bag as the four turned to walk away.

With a shake of his head, Callum squared his shoulders before standing tall. His plan was a good one, and if the others couldn't see that, well, then that wasn't _his_ fault.

The brunette just hoped they wouldn't have to then use the plan.

* * *

The climb had slowly become steeper and steeper, with the air getting thinner the further up the mountain they trekked. The sun had all but fully disappeared from the night sky, and the shadows it casted over the group left the vibe rather ominous. Bait was clasped tightly in Ezran's arms and glowed a dull blue to provide them with some light.

Allania readjusted her satchel once more, shifting it from her right shoulder to her left. She loosely regretted bringing as much as she had, as the weight was making her shoulder sore, but also felt there wasn't anything in her satchel that she wanted to leave behind. There were a few personal items in there that she didn't want to leave behind- and would disclose more information on at a later date- as well as some snacks and something to drink. Her cloak had also been haphazardly shoved into her bag. Though the atmosphere on the mountain was cool, all the walking had caused the girl to sweat and build up some heat.

Oh, and there may have been a good handful of rocks in her satchel that were to only be used for the plan. And boy, were they _kind of_ heavy.

A loud grumble broke the silence that shrouded the group, and they all froze, clumping together as they scanned the area.

"W-what was that?" Ezran glanced around the clearing they had paused in, voice nervous.

The sound echoed around them once more, and this time it sounded even closer.

Rayla reached for her blades out of instinct, Callum tensing as he slipped out his primal stone, "Whatever it is, it sounds like it's getting closer…" He breathed out quietly.

_Grr. Gurgle. Grumble. Grr._

Allania jumped at the noise, realizing it was coming from _directly behind her_ and the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up. Moving ever so slowly, she began to turn around. What she was greeted with, however, was _not_ what she expected.

A sheepish Ellis was sat on top of Ava. She rubbed the back of her neck, eyes crinkled, and lips quirked in an apologetic smile. The rest of the group turned towards the young girl just as the noise sounded once more.

_Gurgle. Grumble. Grr._

It took a few seconds, but when Allania- and the others- realized what the noise was and where it was coming from, they couldn't help but break out into relieved laughter.

Ellis joined in with the laughter, "Sorry, it's been a while since I've last eaten…"

Callum's stomach began to grumble as well, and Rayla lightly jabbed at him, "Guess she's not the _only_ one who's hungry." He shrugged and smiled self-consciously.

Bait groused from his spot in Ezran's arms, the young prince looking down at his animal companion, "I think Bait's hungry as well!"

"Ezran, Bait is _always_ hungry!" His older brother teased.

"So? Look how hard he's working!" Ezran shot back, holding Bait up just a little bit higher. The Glowtoad shined a little brighter, illuminating the area more, "Bait has every right to always be hungry."

"Whatever you say, Ezran." Callum chuckled, shaking his head at his younger brother.

"So, a snack break it is then?" Allania questioned. She received various nods and yeses in confirmation. Opening her satchel, she began to dig through it to pull out some snacks and drinks she brought for the trip.

Rayla reached into her pocket, pulling out a small pouch and opening it excitedly, "Look what I found at the base of the mountain!" The elf leaned forward and held out some small berries, "Some fresh _moonberries_!"

Allania yelped, eyes widening at the close proximity of the berries before she shot backwards, distancing herself from the little fruit, much to the confusion of the others. They shot her weird looks, Rayla covering up her delicacy as they stared expectantly at the raven.

"Uh, Allania, are you okay?"

The girl nodded and awkwardly played with one of the braids in her hair, "I, uh, yeah…well, uh, no.." She fumbled and tripped over her words. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself before speaking, "I'm, uh, allergic to moonberries…"

Rayla's eyes narrowed, "Never met a human who's allergic to moonberries before."

The tone was accusatory, and Allania found herself caught off-guard by the statement. Though the fruit was found in the human lands, moonberries were of Xadian origin, and if anyone was going to be allergic to the delicacy, it was going to be elves- _not_ humans.

Luckily for the raven, Callum unknowingly came to the girl's rescue, "Do you even _know_ that many humans, Rayla?"

The elf shrugged and opened her mouth to retort, but Ezran spoke up, "Yeah, weren't _we_ the first humans you've ever?"

"Okay, okay," Rayla conceded, making a 'calm down' motion. She popped a moonberry in her mouth, making sure to keep the little fruits far from Allania, and spoke "I just can't _fathom_ how _anyone_ can be allergic to these _delicious_ berries!"

Allania pulled an apple from her bag, watching as the elf passed her moonberries to Ellis. The young girl popped a few in her mouth, savoring the sweet treat before handing them back to Rayla. With a shrug, she replied, "I've been allergic to them for as long as I can remember."

A silence settled over the group, the only noises in the area being their happy munching and the sounds of the night. Allania took a bite over her apple, crunching it slowly as looked around the clearing they were in.

It was definitely more grim and eerie looking than other places on the mountain they had been. The air was thick, but also thin at the same time as a dense fog hovered over the ground, it was unnerving, and coupled with the dying trees that lined the clearing, Allania did _not_ like this place one bit.

How Ellis made it through her with just herself and Ava was _beyond_ her.

_Chirp-chirp. Chirp-chirp._

Callum jumped at the sudden noise to his left, Allania nearly choking on her apple with laughter, "What the-" The brunette turned to glare at the cricket that had hopped on the rock beside him. He muttered unhappy words to the small creature, his friends holding back their laughter as the cricket chirped back angrily in response.

The prince grumbled to himself once more and flashed the cricket one more annoyed glare before turning back towards his companions. Allania had managed to swallow her bite of apple and held the fruit away from herself with a hand over her mouth to block her laughter. Ellis and Ezran shared amused smirks, and Rayla shook her with a bemused smile.

"Hey!" The brunette protested, "He was asking for it."

"It's just a cricket, Callum."

"Yeah, well…" He shrugged and clutched his bag tighter. With a frown he looked away from the others, and when he faced them once more, he changed the subject, "It's dark, but so far the scariest thing I've seen so far is this _angry_ cricket." The cricket chirped and Callum kneeled down towards it once more, "Well, maybe he's more _mildly_ annoyed."

Allania stepped forward, discarding her finished apple before reaching down. She offered her hand towards the cricket, and the little guy jumped onto her finger. The raven lifted him up, making a wide swoop around Bait who tried to _eat_ the cricket. She studied him as it continued to chirp, "I don't know, he seems pretty _mad_ at you."

"Oh ha ha." Callum frowned, standing up.

Ezran chuckled and turned towards Allania and Ellis, "Yeah, are you _sure_ this is the Cursed Caldera? Or did we accidentally wander up _Humdrum Hill_?" The young prince teased.

They all laughed, the cricket hopping out of Allania's hand, and Rayla played along with the joke, "Maybe we took a wrong turn and would up on _Sleepy Slope_?"

The group laughed once more before ending in a simultaneous sigh. Callum glanced around at the four, a teasing smile on his face, "I'll have to check my map," He placed his hand on his chin, "but I'm fairly certain I recognize the unmistakable topography of _Mount Monotonous_!" The prince looked towards everyone with an expectant smile, hoping for more laughter.

Instead he got dead silence, one that was accompanied by the cricket chirping almost mockingly. Callum glowered at it, but the small insect wasn't phased.

"Anyways," Ellis eased the awkward silence, "It _is_ a little odd that nothing bad has happened yet…" Suddenly, like the flip of a switch, Ellis was shrieking as she pointed in the distance, " _I see a huge scary monster_!"

Allania jumped at the sudden change in volume, Callum squealing and jumping closer to the group as Ellis pointed over his shoulder. Rayla looked ready to attack, Callum a bit squeamish, as Ellis walked on by with a laugh on Ava.

"But don't worry, it's _dead_." She looked content with herself and her joke as she passed by a pale Callum, and Allania shook her head.

The older prince looked exasperated, "Then why did you _say it like that_?"

" _Say it like_ what _?"_ Ellis turned her head to respond, voice a high-pitched screech like before. It echoed hollowly in the surrounding area, and Callum's shoulders slumped with a frown.

Allania elbowed him gently in the side with a giggle as she passed by, "She got you _good_."

"Oh, I hate everything about all this." The brunette griped with a sigh.

With less caution than they probably should've had, the group approached the dead creature. It was laid out on its side, fur matted and dirty as it laid in the mud. The creature was obviously large, being about four times the size of Ava. From its mouth protruded two large tusks, with two enormous horns sitting atop its head, and Allania couldn't determine what exactly it was.

The most unnerving part, however, was the large _hole_ in its side.

Whoever- or _whatever_ \- killed the creature, Allania did _not_ want to meet.

 _Maybe Isaiah had been right about_ not _going up the Cursed Caldera_ …

"I've never seen anything like this." Ezran spoke softly. He handed Bait over to Allania before approaching the deceased creature, "And look at those circles."

"Don't touch it." Callum called out to his brother.

"What a strange birthmark."

Allania crinkled her nose as the _stench_ of the dead creature finally reached her, and Callum stepped up beside Ezran, "I don't think that's a birthmark. It's a _bite mark_!" He declared, and Rayla stepped closer to investigate as well.

Not wanting to approach the dead creature any closer than she already was, Allania stayed back and stood beside Ava. Her side rested on the canine's own, and Bait was secured within her arms.

"'Yur right," Rayla began to speak, just as Ava began to shift uncomfortably. The movement caused Allania to stir, shivers snaking up her body as she heard something _large_ begin to stir behind them, "something's drained _all_ its blood."

Ava was in full defense mode now, growling as something in the darkness shifted and Allania found her heart racing as Ellis called out, "Guys! I see a _huger, scarier monster_!"

The darkness began to growl, a shape taking form as it loomed over the dead body before them. It snarled at them, body lithe and snakelike with three eye stalks protruding from its head. Its mouth snapped open in three flaps, revealing a circular pit of death _filled_ with teeth. The creature roared, the noise ear shattering and the group dove out of the way just as it charged them.

"The plan! Time for the plan! Ezran?" Callum called out in a panic.

Ezran nodded, voice shaky, "Okay, okay!" He glanced down at his arms, only to realize they were empty, "Where's Bait?"

"Oh, I have him!" Allania called out. She made a move to hand the grumpy Glowtoad back to his rightful owner, only for the creature to make a snap at her. The raven was forced to dive to the side to avoid being eaten, and in the process, Bait was knocked from her arms. She shakily picked herself up from the ground, looking around for Bait as Ezran called out to his beloved pet.

"Bait, come on you're supposed to-"

Allania's eyes finally settled on the creature, who was laying flat on his stomach, just in time to see him flash brightly. A bright light filled the clearing, her eyes immediately snapping shut in an effort to block out the light- and pain- the flash carried with it.

"Ahh! Too soon! Too soon!" Callum cried out, attempting to shield his own eyes, Rayla doing the same besides him.

"I can't see!"

"None of us can!" Ellis agreed with a shout, eyes squeezed tightly shut as Ava whimpered below her.

In a slight haze of disjointedness, Allania attempted to clamber back to her feet. When the pain in her eyes began to subside some, she opened them ever so slightly. The world was blurry and hazy around her, and as she stumbled to her feet, her balance was wobbly at best.

The creature roared before striking once more. It snapped at Ellis and Ava, the wolf regaining enough to her senses to bolt in the opposite direction. She barked as she ran, and in her haste, she knocked into Ezran, who had just picked up Bait once more.

Bait was sent skidding along the ground once more, and Callum stammered out, "Okay, what about the rest of the plan?" He rubbed his eyes, Rayla doing the same beside him as Bait came to a halt between the two.

Allania stumbled over to them before bumping into the older prince. The two steadied each other, both of their visions a mess, and the girl spoke, "This is where I throw rocks, right?"

Callum agreed, and Allania reached into her bag. After the creation of their plan- that was going _super_ well right now- she had begun to pick up rocks of differing sizes to use in case they needed them.

She pulled one out and, once used to the weight in her hand, took aim. The raven felt as though her vision was getting better, and set her sights on a slightly hazy figure that kept moving before her that resembled the creature they had seen looming over the dead one.

After taking a few seconds to finalize her aim, Allania pulled her arm back before releasing. The rock took to the air and, with a loud thump, hit her target.

What she was not expecting, however, was the _feminine_ cry that came from the lump she had thrown the rock at.

"Hey! Watch it, ya dummy!" Rayla exclaimed, and Allania immediately began to apologize.

"Maybe I shouldn't throw anymore rocks until I can see again…"

"Yuh _think_?!"

Callum stumbled forward, aiming to get closer to Rayla to make sure she was okay in the process, "So that means I _shouldn't_ do lightning if I can't see, _right_?" He tripped over Bait and faceplanted on the ground.

"Don't do the lightning!" Rayla cried out, making a move to grab for Callum, but catching Allania in the process instead.

"Maybe a new plan?" Ezran called out from his place on the ground.

Allania blinked, vision slowly clearing more and more as she held onto Rayla's shoulders, the elf doing the same to the other girl. The white-haired girl gradually came into focus as Callum yelped, "Scatter! Run!"

"Is that to distract the monster?"

"No, it's just to get away and live!"

Rayla squeezed Allania's shoulders, "Time to go."

"Yup."

The two girls split apart, Rayla making a beeline for Ezran and Bait as Ellis held out a hand for Allania. The raven jumped onto Ava's back, clinging closer to the younger girl as they chased after Callum. The monster was hot on their heels, completely ignoring Ezran and Rayla as it chased after the bigger target.

"Hop on!" Ellis called out to Callum as they ran up alongside him. Allania extended him a hand, pulling him up, "Ava will get us out of here!" He slipped in behind the older girl, arm's immediately encircling her waist as he held on for dear life.

An ominous roar sounded from behind them, and Allania didn't have to look back to _know_ that thing was right behind them. It was way too close for comfort.

A cliff appeared before the group, and Ava leapt up onto it. Her claws dug into the rocky surface, giving her purchase as she skillfully navigated the cliffside. The rocky mountain suddenly shook dangerously as the beast collided harshly with the base, and it screamed up at the human's and wolf before scurrying away to chase after Rayla and Ezran.

Allania watched as Rayla and Ezran just barely made it up a nearby tree. They sat high in one of the branches, safely out of range of the creature. It roared and snarled at the base below, obviously unhappy its potential dinners had all managed to get away.

The creature continued to circle the tree, every now and then approaching the rock Ellis, Allania, Callum, and Ava were safely sat atop to see if they had come down. Its roars began to dissipate as it settled on being silent, but they all could still see it scurrying around down there.

"What do we do _now_?" Rayla's voice carried across the distance between the tree and the rock, "I think that _thing_ is waiting for us down there."

"We don't even have that much _blood_!" Ezran cried out.

Across the distance, Allania could see Rayla cup her mouth, "We would make a very _unsatisfying_ snack!" The creature roared in response.

"I don't think that thing cares!" Allania shouted back, "A snack is a snack after all." She made a move to slide off of Ava's back, only to realize Callum's arms were still wrapped around her waist. In a softer voice, she turned towards him, "You can let go off me now."

"What? Oh, uh, right! Heh." He stammered out sheepishly with a blush. He dropped his arms before sliding off of Ava's back, the raven shifting to do the same. Callum offered her his hand, and she accepted it, as he helped her off the wolf's back.

"We don't have a choice." The older prince called out with a sigh, "We just have to wait it out." He glanced at the ground before kicking it in annoyance, "Ugh. I'm sorry my plan was a mess."

"Nah," Rayla replied with a smile, "your plan was fine! Our execution was a little off." She shrugged, "It came out more like, _'Argh! Oops! Ouch! Help! Run!_ " The elf smiled innocently at the light tease, Ezran shrugging as he turned towards his brother.

Allania shook her head, Callum frowning deeply as Ellis slumped on Ava's head.

"Mmm. We're gonna be here for a while, aren't we?"

"Yep. Seems that way."

* * *

Callum peered over the edge of the ledge. His vision appeared to be back to normal and readjusted to the darkness as he watched the creature slither about below. It was hard to tell how much time had passed, but it felt like an eternity as they sat there- like fodder- waiting for the creature to just _go away_.

"Ya know, _watching_ the creature isn't going to make it go away."

The prince jumped at the sudden voice, glancing over to see Allania on her hands and knees besides him. She wore a coy smirk, a mischievous glint in her eye as Callum frowned at her. A light blush dusted his cheeks at her proximity, and he pulled away with a clearing of his throat.

"I know but… you'd think it'd take the hint and just leave."

Allania shrugged before knocking her shoulder into his, "Come on, it's a _monster_. We can give it a thousand hints and it'll _never_ take them."

Callum sighed, glancing once more at the earth below before leaning back on his haunches, "Yeah, you're right." Allania offered him a small smiled before crawling back towards Ava and Ellis, the former who was curled up in a ball. The raven leaned back against the wolf, Ellis by the canine's head.

The prince shifted and moved so he was sitting cross-legged. Ellis struck up a conversation, "I can't believe you're a mage!" She gushed, and Allania chuckled at her enthusiasm, "I've _never_ met an actual mage before. You're not at all what I expected." The young girl walked around Ava to stand in front of Callum.

 _Just wait until she finds out_ …

His brows furrowed, "What were you expecting?"

"You know, taller, long ropes, _wrinklier_? Super smart." Ellish shrugged, and Allania snorted whilst Callum just chuckled, "And maybe like a weird _amulet_ or something?" She carried on, and Allania found her eyes absentmindedly trailing towards the collar Ava wore.

"Well, I am in the market for a weird amulet, if you know anybody." The brunette quipped as he stood up.

Ellis covered her mouth as she giggled, "And you're so confident!"

A light hue covered Callum's cheeks at the compliment, and he looked away while rubbing his neck, "It's funny to hear someone say that."

"Funny because it's true? Or funny because you're _not_ confident?" Allania voiced softly as she stood up.

"Well, I don't actually think of myself as confident… so the last one?"

" _Really_?" Ellis looked surprised, "You should be, having all that incredible power!"

"But with great power comes great responsibility, Ellis." Allania placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, "One can't be too cocky with all that power."

"Didn't- didn't someone _else_ say that?" Callum wore a puzzled expression as he faced the raven.

She shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe?"

The prince shook his head before turning to his in his bag. "Allania is right though, I do have to be careful, but the truth is, the _power_ isn't me." He pulled out the primal stone, holding it carefully and watching as the clouds stirred angrily within it, "It's this."

The primal stone flashed, and Ellis leaned closer towards it in awe.

"All the magic, all the power, all the confidence… It's just because of _this_ amazing thing. A _primal_ stone!"

Allania held her hands out, "May I?" Callum seemed hesitant at first but relented when he saw the softness in the girl's eyes. He murmured a 'be careful' before passing it to her. She cradled the primal stone gently in her hands, a slight tingle shooting up her arms at the power it held. Each time lighting flashed, Allania could feel the power strengthen and surge through her.

It was a strange feeling, but one she found to enjoy, nonetheless.

Ellis sat down as she watched Allania carefully roll the primal stone around in her hands, and the other two took the hint. The raven handed the powerful relic back to Callum as she sank to her knees, and he cradled it softly as he sat and crossed his legs before him.

The prince continued to stare at the primal stone, and Ellis watched as he studied it with awe, "That primal stone needs _you_ to do all that amazing stuff." The young girl started, "Without you, it's just a neat, glowy ball."

"I guess so," Callum shrugged, not entirely convinced. Allania was perplexed by his lack of confidence, but then again, she didn't have much confidence in magical abilities either, "but without this, I'm nothing."

"I know we don't really know each other, Callum, but I feel like that's a _false_ statement." Allania reached out to place a hand on the prince's shoulder, "You're so much more than a- a- a _primal stone_ bearer."

He shook his head, shrinking back on himself and spoke with a sullen voice, "It's true though. I'm just a guy who can draw and make wry comments from time to time. And they're not even that wry…"

Ellis shared a look with Allania, the latter pursing her lips as the young girl spoke, "I'm not convinced." She stroked Ava's head, "I have a feeling you'd be _pretty amazing_ even without your magic ball."

Allania nodded her head in agreeance. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she could _definitely_ tell that Callum was destined for greatness- _without_ the primal stone.

"Well, you seem pretty great too," Callum spoke with a soft grin, "Same goes for you Allania." The girl smiled, and suddenly Ava sat up and barked, "And Ava's also great!" He set the primal stone down beside himself, and slowly reached out towards Ava, "Is it okay if I pet her?"

His permission seeking was for naught, however, as Ellis didn't even get the chance to say 'yes' before Ava tackled the prince. Callum laughed as the wolf pinned him down and went in for a lick attack on his face, "Aww, you're such a _fuzzy wuv-munkin_!" He cooed, petting the large canine as his face was covered in slobber.

Allania couldn't help but chuckle at the scene before her, covering her mouth to keep her laughter down as Ellis giggled beside her. Ava really was a 'fuzzy wuv-munkin'.

"Hey, guys?" Rayla called out. Allania glanced over to see the elf and Ezran standing on the tree branch, and Callum, who was still pinned down by Ava, cocked his head back to glance at them the best he could, "I think that thing might be gone!"

Ava gave the prince's face one last slobbery kiss before climbing off him and allowing him to climb to his feet. She trotted back over to Ellis, who immediately climbed onto her back as Allania stood up. The raven snagged Callum's primal stone, handing it to him before they started to descend to meet up with Rayla and Ezran.

* * *

They regrouped with the two at the base of the tree, and Allania noted how Rayla was using one hand to climb down, while her bad hand hung limp at her side. Callum walked over towards his brother, who was almost to the bottom of the tree with Bait on top of his head and offered him a hand to help him the rest of the way down.

Rayla leapt off the tree from her position, about five or so feet up, and landed smoothly on the ground. She looked around, "Haven't seen or heard it in a while. Seems like it moved on."

"See ya, sucker!" Ezran cheered with a wave, "Get it? 'Cause it's a giant _leech_?"

"So, more of a description than an insult?" Callum pondered.

"A little of both."

"Mhmm." The older prince nodded, and Allania smiled.

"It's probably gone, but let's not taunt it, okay?" Rayla warned. She held her hand up and pinched her fingers together, "There's a little thing called _irony_ , where just as you say one thing, like you're _really_ sure about it, that's when the opposite happens!"

"Nah," Callum scoffed, "Maybe that's how things work in stories," Allania suddenly paled as the shadows behind Callum, Ezran, and Rayla began to move. Beside her, Ava was crouched and starting to growl once more, Ellis fully ready to scream, "but in the real world-"

"It's not gone!" Allania screamed out, pointing just over the trio's shoulder, just as the monster howled.

Their screams mixed together as the monster snapped at them and the group quickly scattered. Ava raced off in one direction while Rayla, Callum, Allania, and Ezran split in the opposite direction. The beast chose to chase after Ava and Ellis, whipping around to slither after the duo.

Ellis squeaked as Ava barreled around a rock, the monster closing in on the two. The wolf raced between the three humans and elf, Rayle grabbing Ezran and pulling them to the side while Allania tackled Callum away.

The monster sped after Rayla and Ezran, suddenly managing to zip around and getting in front of them. They skidded to a halt, screaming before running off in two different directions. The beast snarled before turning and chasing after the elf.

Rayla approached the rock Ellis, Callum, and Allania had once sought refuge on. She ran up it before backflipping over the monster, who, once again, collided face first into the rocky base. She landed on the ground with ease, diving away once more as the creature made a mad swipe for her. She took refuge on the tree once more, managing to climb onto a branch just out of the monster's reach, and it hissed before turning away.

Ezran cried out as he ran, the beast now focused on him. Just as he was snapped at, Ellis reached in and pulled the young prince onto Ava's back, and together they raced away.

"That way!" Ellis cried out, steering her beloved wolf in a direction the monster was _not_ in.

Allania watched with wide eyes as Ava did her best to outrun the beast. The creature didn't seem to want to relent, nor did it seem like it was being tired out, but to the raven's horror, she could see the wolf was beginning to get fatigued from all the running- and the extra weight.

"Callum, we have to do something!"

"Right, right! Focus!" He called out, "We can do this! The _plan_!" The older prince cupped his hands around his mouth to make his voice louder, "Ez and Bait, you're up!"

Allania looked away, Callum shielding his eyes beside her, as Ezran lifted Bait into the air, " _Flash_!" The older boy called out, and the area was illuminated in a bright blast of light.

The monster began to shriek in agony, body jerking about as it moved in one place, dazed and confused.

"Yes!" Callum cried out, "Ellis and Ava. _Woof_!" The two dropped Ezran off before charging towards the blinded beast. Ava began to bark, the sound strong and sharp, and Ellis chimed in with her own woofs and howls as the two circled the creature.

It spun around in circles, trying to keep up with the howling wolf and child, but failing to do so. Callum cheered as Allania watched the confusion unfold, and the prince turned towards her, "Alright, Allania, you're up! _Thunk_!"

The raven shook her head at the sound effect but charged into action regardless. She reached into her satchel, pulling out a few of the bigger rocks as she raced forward and towards the mayhem. Ava and Ellis were still circling the beast, and the monster was doing its best to try and regain its bearings so it could more efficiently attack.

But Allania was there to further _prevent_ it from doing so.

She balanced three rocks in her hand, jumbling them between her fingers as she waited for the perfect moment to strike. The creature was slowing down its circles, and just as it faced Allania she struck.

The rocks left her hand with ease, soaring through the air and towards their targets. There were three simultaneous _thunks_ as the rocks made contact with their targets- the creatures already slightly blinded eyes- and it screeched with agony once more before blindly lashing out.

Pulling out another handful of rocks, Allania dove to the side before rolling to her feet as the monster's tail whipped over her head. Once the creature was facing her again, she threw the remaining rocks towards it and into its open and shrieking mouth.

It paused in place as it doubled over, gagging as the rocks hit the back of its throat- though Allania wasn't really sure the oversized leech _had_ a gag reflex. The creature shook its head wildly, attempting to dislodge the rocks from its throat, all the while staying in one place.

"Perfect!" Callum called out, primal stone in hand, "My turn for… _zap_!" He drew the rune for the spell in the air, and lightning began to crackle about the primal stone before shooting towards his hand. Allania saw the prince cock his hand back, sparks dancing in his palm, and he took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing. _Fulminis_!"

Ellis and Ava raced by once more just as Callum released the lightning. They swept up Allania, darting away a safe distance to avoid the lightning's area of effect. The creature was immediately consumed by the lightning, jerking and spasming as it shrieked in pain.

Allania watched in surprise as the creature seized, and Callum cheered, "Yeah! Yeah! Get zapped! Oh, get _zapped_ by the zap hand!" He danced about while Allania, Ellis, and Ezran approached the happy boy, "My zap hand. _Yeah_!"

Rayla leapt off the tree branch she was on, stepping closer towards the still sparking beast with caution, "Can you be astounded later?"

Callum looked sheepish for a moment, "Right! Uh, Rayla, finishing move. You got this! _Slash_!"

The elf looked hesitant as she reached behind her to pull out one of her blades. She twirled the weapon in her good hand, and Allania watched in anticipation as Rayla approached the creature, not all the ready to go in for the kill.

All of a sudden, the creature whirled around, its shrieking intensifying as it turned on the approaching elf. Rayla cried out in shock, Allania calling out the girl's name, as she stumbled backwards. She tripped over a rock, yelping as she crash-landed on her back, hers sword slipping from her grasp as the creature loomed dangerously over her.

"Rayla!"

"No!"

Allania fidgeted anxiously from her spot besides Callum, who wore a concerned look, as she debated her next course of action. She had some tricks up her sleeve, but the raven wasn't sure how useful they'd be- or if, once shown, she could even take them back- but she wasn't going to sit idly by as the monster _killed_ Rayla.

With a shake of her head, Allania pushed the concerns for herself away before stepping forward. A spell was on the tip of her tongue, finger itching to draw a rune, but before she could even think of going through with it, Rayla was back in action.

The elf managed to snag her sword, and just as the monster launched itself at her, she _slashed_. The sword sliced smoothly through the creature's throat, and one last screech of agony echoed through the clearing before it fell limply to the ground.

Allania immediately pulled her hand in, and everyone raced to Rayla's side. The girl looked worse for wear, and was doubled over and panting, "That was _too_ close."

"You're telling us." Allania murmured. They gave the elf some space as she continued to pant and catch her breath, all the while trying to calm down.

"If that thing was a split-second faster, I would have been…" She trailed off unsurely, and Allania was glad she didn't finish the thought. A silence settled over the trio, but their peace didn't last long.

Huge numbers of tiny leeches began to spill from the large one they just killed, and they made a beeline for Rayla before climbing up and covering her body. Allania grimaced as the elf fell to the ground, rolling in an effort to remove the parasitic creatures- but more just covered her.

"Ah. Help! Help me!"

Callum raced to action, primal stone firmly grasped in one hand as he used the other to draw a rune, " _Aspiro_!" He spoke, and a gush of strong wind left his mouth. Rayla held a hand up as the coarse breeze blew over her body, and one by one the tiny leeches were blown away, "Yes!" The older prince cheered while Allania offered Rayla a hand, "How about that? I knew _whoosh_ should have been a part of the plan!"

Rayla just scowled as she was helped to her feet.

 _This whole thing was a disaster_.

* * *

After a few extra minutes to recuperate- and allow Callum to _cheer_ some at his completed lightning spell- the group got back on the move. Their nerves were still on high alert as they continued to trek through the darkness, but they also knew Callum's plan would work, and if any monster tried to attack them, they were all fully prepared.

"Hey, Allania." The older prince softly called to the girl. He slowed down, matching her pace at the back of the group as the others continued to walk forward.

"Yeah, Callum?"

"Uh, back there, with the leech thing… when it tried to eat Rayla…" He pursed his lips, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to find his next words. Allania felt her heart lurch and did her best to remain stoic as he continued on, "Did I see you try to do a _rune spell_?"

Heart now beating too rapidly for her own comfort, Allania shook her head- a bit _too_ fast as now it was spinning- before beginning to fumble for an excuse, "Y-you're joking, right?" She barked out a laugh, and Callum frowned, "N-no. I, uh, was just trying to distract the leech and, uh, draw its attention. Yeah!" She finished her explanation rapidly.

The prince didn't look too convinced, "Okay, it's just that it looked like you were going to draw a rune."

"Callum," The raven breathed out. She did her best to steel her nerves and calm herself down, "Do you _see_ a primal stone on me?" He shook his head no, "and do I _look_ like an elf?" Again, he shook his head no, "Have I mentioned or shown I know dark magic?" Another no, "Then how exactly am I supposed to cast a spell?"

Callum's lips twisted in thought and he conceded, "Yeah, you're right, I guess. I don't know why I thought you'd cast a spell. I mean, if you did know magic, you would've told us from the start, right?"

Allania swallowed thickly, "R-right!" She chirped, voice one octave too high. If Callum felt anything else was off, he didn't say it and instead turned his attention forward, just in time to see Ellis point towards the top of the mountain.

"Look! Up there! That's the tree!" She exclaimed excitedly. Allania followed her finger, eyes settling on a crooked tree near the rim of the mountain. Light poured down from the clouds, seemingly illuminating the piece of nature, and the raven felt her heart begin to pound once more.

_Maybe I'm in over my head…_

"Yes, we're almost there! We can do this team!" Callum exclaimed, "We can make it to the rim. We're going to find the healer and save the egg!"

Ava suddenly whimpered, ears flat against her head as she looked up the mountain. Ezran reached over, placing a comforting hand on the wolf's shoulder. She glanced over at him and whined softly.

"Oh, no."

Callum quirked a brow, "What is it?"

Allania crossed her arms as Ezran walked forward, staring up at the mountain one more time before turning to face the group, "I have really bad news." His voice was grave, "I don't know how to tell you."

"Just say it." The older prince prodded, his own voice concerned.

"Even if we make it to the rim, it doesn't matter. There is _no_ miracle healer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Womp womp~ lmao I should be writing for my other fics, but I'm having too much fun with this one!
> 
> Sorry the chapter is so long, it kind of got away from me! But overall, I'm p happy with how this turned out!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy and thank you for the positive feedback so far!
> 
> -Rawwwrchel22


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